Physical Therapy for Children with Birth Disorders
Many birth injuries, including cerebral palsy, lead to developmental delays. Many children benefit from physical therapy, which deals with the science of movement. Improving muscle function can help children to recover from a birth disorder.
Who Can This Help?
In particular, this form of therapy has been found to be exceptionally helpful to children who were born with motor skill issues, including those with cerebral palsy. Your pediatrician will mark your child’s milestones from the age of six weeks up until they turn seven. Some delays can be normal, but drastic developmental delays should be treated. Physical therapy can help your child to achieve the correct range of motion as they continue to grow.
What Does a Physical Therapist Do?
When you visit the office of a physical therapist, they may use variety of treatments to help your child build strength while improving movement. Some of the possible activities that your child might perform include:
- Adaptive play
- Developmental activities like crawling and walking
- Training for strength around injuries
- Aquatic therapy
What to Expect
At your first visit, the physical therapist will evaluate your child so they can better form a treatment plan. While treatment occurs in the sessions, the chief goal will ultimately be to help your child succeed at home, in school and while playing.
Getting PT for children with birth disorders can have a big impact on their confidence in long term. In addition, it’s important that the parent follows through with the exercises after they have left the office of the physical therapist. Often, your physical therapist will meet with a multidisciplinary team to understand the problem from multiple angles to best help your child succeed.